Rural mail box signal



April 20, 1937. R. w. REED RURAL MAIL BOX SIGNAL Filed March 14, 1936' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 In uenlor [5. MZBeaoL Bygg A llomeys April 20, 1937. R. w. REED 2,078,160.

RURAL MAIL BOX SIGNAL Filed March 14, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor .22. Wfiead gfzwloimw 6 A No rney 8 Patented Apr. 20, 193? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to a signal for use on rural mail boxes to indicate when the same contains mail both as far as the owner is concerned and the mail carrier.

The object of the invention resides in the provision of a signaling device which will fall to an inoperative position upon opening of the door of the rural mail box.

Another important object of the invention resides in the provision ofa signal of this nature which is exceedingly simple in its construction, inexpensive to manufacture andinstall, thoroughly efficient and reliable in use and operation and otherwise well adapted to the purpose for which it is designed.

With the above and numerous other objects in view as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings:--

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rural mail box showing my signal mounted thereon in signaling position.

Figure 2 is an end elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary elevation of the box showing the signal in its non-indicating position.

Referring to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the numeral 5 denotes a conventional rural mail box with the usual hinged door 6 associated therewith. The plate I is secured by suitable means 8 to the door 6 and has a lug or pin 9 projecting therefrom laterally outwardly beyond one side of the door. On said side of the box 5 there is mounted a bolt II) on which is rockably supported a flat arm I I an intermediate portion of which is offset inwardly to provide a bearing shoulder l2 which is rockable on the bolt. Except for the bearing shoulder l2 the arm H is spaced from the side of the box to overcome wiping engagement with the box and eliminate the possibility of the arm freezing fast to the box in winter weather. The rear end of the arm has an outwardly projecting lip I4. On one side in close proximity to the forward end, the arm is provided with a notch l5 the outermost edge l6 of which is in the form of an arcuate cam for cooperating with the pin 9 so that when the door is swung to an open position the arm will be" rocked. Notch l5 extends from the lower side of the arm I I and cam edge l6 curves upwardly and inwardly. A staff I8 is bolted as at l9 to the end of the arm adjacent the lip H, the lip l4 preventing the rocking of the staff. On the upper end of this staff is a flag plate or signal 20. A hook bracket 2| is fixed as at 22 to the side of the box 5. When the door 8 is swung to an open position the pin l9 engages the cam surface IS in the notch l5 thereby swinging the arm II and causing the signal flag to move from the position shown in Figure 1 to the position shown in Figure 4 and in the latter position the staff I8 is supported in the hook bracket.

It is thought that the construction, utility, manipulation and advantages of this invention will now be quite apparent to those skilled in this art without a more detailed description thereof.

The present embodiment of the invention has been described in considerable detail merely for the purposes of exemplification since in actual practice it attains the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the above description.

It will be apparent that changes in the details of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed or sacrificing any of its advantages.

What is claimed is:-

1. In combination with a rural mail box equipped with a hinged lid, a pin on the lid extending laterally from one side thereof, an elon gated flat actuating arm formed with a notch in the lower side thereof in close proximity to one end to receive the pin when the lid is closed, the outermost edge of said notch being arcuate to provide a cam to rock the actuating arm when the lid is opened, an intermediate portion of said arm having an offset portion to provide a relatively small bearing shoulder, said shoulder portion pivoted to the box thereby spacing the parts of the arm on each side thereof to prevent wiping contact with the box, a signal staff, means for securing one end of the staff to the other end of said arm, a signal carried by the free end of said staff, said securing means consisting of a bolt and a lip on the end of the arm engaging in overhanging abutment a side portion of the staff, and a hook bracket carried by the box for supporting the staff when in a lowered position.

2. In combination with a rural mail box equipped with a hinged lid, a pin on the lid extending laterally from one side thereof, an actuating arm formed with a notch in the lower side therefor in close proximity to one end to receive the pin when the lid is closed, the outermost edge of said notch being arcuate to provide a cam to rock the actuating arm when the lid is a open, an intermediate portion of said arm having an offset portion to provide a bearing shoul- 5 der, said shoulder portion being pivotally secured to the box to space the parts of the arm on each side thereof to prevent wiping contact with the box, a signal stafl, means for securing one end of the stall to the other end of the arm,

a signal carried by the free end of said staff, and

a hook bracket carried by the box for supporting the stat! when in a lowered position.

3. A signal'for use with mail receptacles having a horizontally pivoted door-and a latch there for, a rod-like horizontal extension secured to and projecting outwardly a predetermined distance from one side edge of the door, an arm pivoted intermediate its ends to the receptacle,

and a signalling member secured to one end of the arm and extending at right angles thereto,

the opposite end of said arm being formed with a downwardly opening and upwardly and rearwardly extending notch to receive the rod-like extension whep'lthe door is moved to and latched in closed position and to retain said signalling member against movement when in its operative position, said notch having one of its defining walls curved to cooperate with said rod-like extension to move the signal to inoperative position when the door is opened.

4. A signal for use with mail receptacles having a horizontally pivoted door and a latch therefor, a plate member secured to the outer face of the door intermediate the upper and lower edges of the latter, a rod-like horizontal extension formed integral with the plate member and pro- Jecting outwardly a predetermined distance from one side edge of the door, an arm pivoted intervmediate its ends to the receptacle, and a signal- 

